bend & break
by silver moon droplet
Summary: [ namiku . kaiora . akuroku . marlphie ] bad boys didn't cry and the nice girls didn't soothe them, so maybe they were somewhere in between bad and nice.


**¤ » bend&break ; **

**[ namiku ; kairora ; akuroku ; marlphie well I had a lot of fun writing this, it's my first epic of the changing of p.o.vs so I'm really excited about how it turned out. Sukiii I'm sorry this took like almost a year to get to you, your entry was simply amazing and I wanted you to have the best of the best. I tried really, really hard on this – but if you want something else, just say the word : anyways all the amazing people who made this possible ( a.k.a the fans of kh/ you teh reader) and of course loren who is the face of all amazingness. **

Blue and green, reds and blacks, pinks, purples and yellows—not to mention spray paint a lot of spray paint, Riku was no artist; but he was pretty good. Throwing the cans down, admiring his handy work on the wall of Garden High; it was the school's principal; Marluxia covered in flowers and nude. He smirked, leaving the scene of the crime, that's what happen when you messed with Riku; he broke every rule in the book, just to make sure you fall on your ass. Or be publicly humiliated, which Riku had admit if principal Marluxia didn't transfer; he was sure to get fired, but he brought it upon himself.

She shut her eyes, the colors making her woozy, as an artist she had to appreciate this kind of work; but as the principal's daughter, she had to close her eyes with disgrace. The school board would not like this, not one little bit, no matter how many excuses her father could pull out of his ass—it wouldn't save him from the hell this would bring. She walked up to it, school still hadn't started—she could clean it up, but she had a better idea. Grabbing the cans she played with the images, sadly watching the art disappear under her spray paint. Naminé couldn't let her father go down like that, no—she had to save him from whatever hell that this could cause.

When Riku walked on the skirts of Garden High, he wasn't shock to see a crowd gather around his piece of work, he was shocked to see that his masterpiece was no longer his master piece. His work was no longer Marluxia in all his nudity; it was the cheerleaders and the school mascot, parading around in their school colors, with their school spirit—extremely detailed and overall beautiful. Riku might have appreciate this, if it weren't for the fact that his plan and hard work; not to mention the money spent on the spray cans, were all wasted.

"Who the hell did that," Riku hissed at his best friend; Roxas, who was sitting on the bench. Roxas looked at him, and then shrugged.

"Someone, who's got some school spirit," Roxas said, imitating a preppy school girl. "But you got to admit, it's good—preppy and sickening, but good none the less."

"I don care if it was fucking Picasso good, I want to know who did it." his patience was thin, this person would pay.

Roxas jumped off his bench, got on his skateboard and looked at Riku. "Let's see what the artsy fartsy people are up to shall we?"

Naminé sat in the art room, catching conversations about the wall; how pretty it was and such, which was an improvement from what they could be saying. She smiled, another good deed bites the dust, she opened up her sketch book; blissfully unaware of the two boys that had entered the art room. She was so enwrapped in her drawing that she didn't even notice them standing by her, she didn't notice their existence until one of them took her sketch book.

"Hey!" she turned around, only to be looking into sapphire eyes; he was so close to her that their noses touch. She blushed, snatching her sketch book away from him. "It's call personal space, Riku." She knew who he was, she knew who everyone was, but she knew him from her father rants at the dinner table. His friend beside him was Roxas; he sat down in her art stool, smiling at two girls that were watching the scene, they turned away; blushing.

"You Marluxia's kid?" Riku asked her, bluntly.

She nodded, still staring into his eyes; they were angry and frustrated, she was surprised how easy it was to read him.

"So you did then—" he glared at her, she took a step back; it hurt. "You're the only one who'd have reason to."

She blinked, confused but what he meant; then it clicked and then Naminé was infuriated with rage. "You—you're the one who did _that_!" she hissed at him. "Listen here—asshole—I don't know what my dad did to you, but if you ever—ever do something like that I'll—"

"Whoa! Whoa!" Roxas sat up, standing between the two of them. "Now, let's be reasonable about this whole—"

"You'll what!" Riku said, ignoring Roxas completely. "Tell your daddy, hm? What do you think you can do to me?" he waited for her to add something, when she didn't he continued. "Listen to me, you stand in my way again—I'll take you down; along with your father, understand?"

Naminé had always been they good girl, she would have walked away, because good girls don't get into trouble, they don't pick fights with bad boys and they did not for any reason smack that said bad boy across the face. So when Naminé did, catching the teacher's and the classes attention; shocking them, she took a deep breathe. "Get the hell out of my face," with that she sat down, daring anyone to question her.

Riku stood there, nobody had ever hit him ever, in awe and then he walked out of the art room ignoring the nervous glances of everyone in that room. Roxas followed, quickly after, they walked outside; ditching Chemistry again, quietly. "Chica got some backbone, eh Riku?"

Riku said nothing, causing a silent tension to rise; that could be cut with a knife. Roxas watched him carefully observing his friend; Riku had always been cool and collective, he didn't do rash or angry—he didn't make empty threats. No, Riku was planning and plotting for revenge and Roxas just hoped that Blondie could handle whatever it was that was going be thrown at her.

"Oh c'mon Riku cut the girl some slack—you were all in her face, hell I would have hit you too if I was her…"

"It's not just that Rox, its part of it—"

"The other part is your secret romantically feelings for her, right?"

"Where did that come from?"

"Wakka's romance novels…"

"Wakka reads?"

"Yeah, ya 'know—he wants to impress the ladies, ya 'know."

"I see…"

"So was the romance novel right?"

"Not in a long shot…now c'mon—we've got a show to do."

Riku clasped his head behind his head, smirking; she would learn the hard way—that nobody messed with Riku and got away with it. He would make her break, because it was so easy to make the nice ones fall; all the needed was a little push. Naminé was just asking for someone to push her off the edge and Riku was just happy to obligate, pushing her straight into the fiery pit of hell.

Naminé knew that wasn't the end of it—she wasn't in one of those movies, when the good girl stands up to the bad boy; he totally respects her and falls madly in love with her. Ha, love—Riku, as if he was capable of love, they just didn't mix; besides why would she want to be with him anyways he was an ass. She was so entranced in her own little world of Riku and love that she didn't notice the bucket of water balloons above her door; she opened it and they fell. Twenty six balloons filled with not just water, which was bad enough due to her all white assemble, but last week's meat loaf surprise. Naminé screamed, most of the damage was done to her hair or so she thought.

"Nice rack Blondie," commented Seifer, she stared down at her shirt—she picked a lousy day to wear a white see through bra as well. Naminé covered her chest with her arms, running to the bathroom in tears; Riku smirked at her as she ran past him.

Riku hated himself—he hated that he made her cry, he hated it—he felt bad for her, it wasn't her fault that she fucked up his plans. No, she was just trying to protect her father—or more so herself, he shook his head washing away the guilt and anger with himself, she did deserve it. It was her fault, Riku never attack unless he was provoked, Marluxia had given him a stupid detention that he caused him to miss his sister before she—he closes his eyes. It was his fault she died and Naminé killed his revenge, the only act he could make for his sister.

She was just like her, with that I won't-take-your-shit attitude; though Kairi wouldn't have back down, she would have knocked him out. He smiled, remembering the auburn girl's fury before she was broke—then dead, never to laugh again. He could have made a difference—if only he had been there, he was slapped out of his what ifs be her; again. He blinked, then looked at her; she was a mess—her hair was wildly and had meatloaf surprise in it and her makeup was smeared and running down her face.

He should be laughing at her, sneering; telling her that's what she got when she messed with him. It felt wrong though, because really—she didn't do anything, she was just trying to protect herself; Riku would have done the same thing. He could imagine it, Marluxia getting fired; she would have to stay here or worse transfer, they would always whisper behind her back and chuckle. He opened his mouth and then Sora came rushing to her side, Riku shut up.

"What the hell is your problem?" Sora snarled at him, taking off his jacket and handed it to Naminé. She took it grateful to cover up with something, watching the two boys very carefully. Riku said nothing; Sora and Roxas were probably the only two people on this earth that Riku would take shit from. Roxas, because he was Roxas; best friend and all and Sora, because Sora dated Kairi; he loved Kairi and Riku held these two higher then any being in the world. "What did she do to you, Riku?" his voice was calmer, softer—more understanding. Riku hated it, it was the voice he be getting for weeks and he couldn't stand it anymore—he pushed passed Naminé and Sora.

Sora watched him go, uneasy, then turned back to Naminé. "I'm really sorry about Riku—he's just really upset, right now."

"Why he isn't the one getting their life ruin," she mumbled so Sora couldn't hear her.

"Here let's go take you to Miss. Tilmitt's, she's the drama teacher so I bet she has spare clothes everywhere." Naminé smiled at him.

"Thank you…uh—"

He laughed. "Sora."

Sora…why did that sound familiar? She shook her head it didn't matter, she went to Miss. Tilmitt's office – she knew that her father's girlfriend would inform Marluxia immediately. She sighed, that's the last thing she really needed – but Sora was right there, so she couldn't just get up and leave, as much as she wanted to. They walked into Miss Tilmitt's office; it was a bright yellow room, as the Drama teacher to wanted to bring light to young people, as Marluxia's girlfriend she could get it. Not many people knew about their relationship, minus Naminé for she was his daughter, she wondered what would happen if that was made public.

"Oh my Naminé, what happened?" Selphie asked, straight and to the point. She always like that with Selphie, long beautiful details that could paint imagery when needed and then blunt what the fuck action every other time. She went through the costumes already grabbing an outfit, Naminé's eyes narrowed looking at the skirt, but she might as well be thankful.

At least there was no way to see her bra in leather.

Riku didn't know what to say to Sora when he came back, so he didn't say anything – he let Sora yell his pants off. It was unfair about what he did, he did take it too far, he knew. He knew and he somewhat cared, but he let Sora go off anyways.

"What would Kairi think!" he shouted, and Riku was dumbfounded – where the hell did that come from. She'd be pissed of course, really disappointed in him, she'd apologize to Naminé and would make Naminé her best friend. If Kairi was here, none of this would be happening he wanted to tell Sora – but nothing, not a word slipped from his mouth. Not like he had a change Marluxia was coming in like a freight train, so it didn't matter.

"Riku, come with me this instance!" Marluxia roared for all the hallway to hear and they did causing the whole hallway to stop and stare. Riku smirked at them all, walking in front of Marluxia he knew his way after all, he practically lived there. He wondered how the news got there so fast.

Then it hit him.

"Your daughter cry to you?" it was the typical daddy's little girl syndrome, which obviously Naminé possessed. Marluxia glared at him, really glared at him – it was a whole new Marluxia glare and Riku had seen them all. The-you-fucked-up-punk glare, the-you-little-bastard-glare, and more – but this, this was like a mafia glare. It scared the hell out of him, not that Riku would ever admit that to anyone.

"No my daughter did not _cry_ to me," a new pissed off voice too, Riku was not going down a good road here. He waited for the gunshots to come, and he wouldn't be surprised if two ugly Italian hench men came beside Marluxia. He was however surprised to see Naminé who was dressed nothing like an Italian mafia hench man, she was however very lethal. One look at those legs and Riku was jelly.

"Father, its fine."

Most people would ask Naminé what the hell she was doing, at the moment in time, she was asking herself that. She hated Riku, mostly because he was the big shot that got his way – and not to mention he was a total asshole to her. The fact that he was trying to take down everything her father worked so hard for, and he was rude to her. Yet, she was saving his sorry behind from being murdered by the wrath of her father. She sighed, as if being stared at by a million of people she didn't know was bad – her father and Riku were staring at her, her father completely shocked and Riku's was mouth agar. Even now, his expression unreadable.

"It is certainly not fine!" Marluxia roared, once he had regain composure. "This boy has disgrace my school in so many ways – that I can't even count!" he slammed his fists on the table, he was mad that was for sure.

Naminé sighed, he didn't know the half of it. "Father, this wasn't Riku's fault."

"It wasn't?" Marluxia asked, slightly confused – obviously there hasn't been a time when it wasn't Riku's fault. Of course this wasn't his fault, he knew it, so did she – but why in the hell was she saving him?

"No…and everything is fine, isn't it Riku?" she smiled at him, he almost fell over – she was radiant and as fine as could be – leather suited her well. Riku nodded, words couldn't come to them and that's never happened before. He was Riku these things just didn't happen. In the end Marluxia agreed with them, and Riku got out with a warning – which was very lucky considering what he did. They both walked out of the big man's office together, Riku had dogged all the bullets – all thanks to the girl walking next to him. They walked next to each other in silence, Naminé didn't want to talk and Riku didn't know what to say, so they walked. It was Naminé who spoke first, breaking their well established wall of silence.

"Here," she handed Sora's jacket to him. "Will you give that to Sora for me, I never see him and you two seem to be…close."

"Yeah," Riku mumbled as he took it.

She smiled, it was the little things that made her smile he realized. "Thank you." She was beautiful and he was speechless, he couldn't think of anything to say – not even a sorry. Then again he didn't have to apologize it would be a very unlike him to, but he wanted to, he wanted to a lot – he just couldn't.

"Oy Riku!" Roxas yelled and they both turned to him, typical Roxas killing a not so cliché moment. He ran over to him, breathless, laughing. He looked at Naminé then back at Riku, a puzzled expression crossed his face. "Was I interrupting something?"

"Of course not," Naminé responded automatically. What could happen? Riku actually say thank you or perhaps an "I'm sorry." No not Riku, what was she thinking, Riku ACTUALLY consider someone else's feelings for once. "I'll talk to you guys later," she waved.

If this were a movie, Riku thought bitterly this would be the part where he would run after her and apologize, steal something from Shakespeare, kiss her and then call it a day. She was walking away, and Riku realized for one this wasn't a movie, for another as 'pretty boy' as he was, he was no actor – and she was gone. Over his lifetime Riku had broken a lot of hearts he never really gave it much thought, until right now – because his heart was starting to bend. It was more like he was on a titter totter on one side was love, then other hate.

"Earth calling Riku, we have your order of fries, and are about to devour them…" Roxas cooed, throwing a packet of cold fries from lunch. Riku laughed, pushing Naminé out of his mind – bonds could be taped together tomorrow, today was all about cold fries.

Naminé fell down on her bed with a groan she had a long day, stressed out about a stupid Shakespeare test that she didn't study for and Riku. She didn't understand it, the subject should be dropped he was just a boy who just happened to be a big shot at her school, who happened to be amazingly cute. She groaned again, thinking about these type of things were the thoughts that got her in trouble. She cuddled into her bed, with Riku still on her mind, that's when Marluxia came in – she shot up immediately, something was wrong.

"Dad?" she questioned softly, the way she spoke to him after her mother had died. Her father was a very fragile man when it came to her mother, that's why she liked Selphie. It made him take his mind off her, so he could be happier and less unhappy.

"Naminé, why did you defend that boy?" that boy came out like venom, he hated Riku with all the passion of God. She smiled, thankful that it was just about today and not something hugely important, like the engagement.

"It was an accident, I know you wanted to expel him, but I think that's a really dumb thing." He wasn't buying the whole accident bit anymore, apparently someone had gotten to him. She cursed Selphie sometimes she could be such a bitch when it came to things.

"You and I both know it wasn't an accident," he told her in his 'adult' tone, like he was the adult, Naminé blinked – he was, wasn't he? She laughed to herself, sometimes she forgot.

"Because I like him," holy shit did she just say that out loud. Wait, she does? What? This makes no sense whatsoever – he was the bad ass, she should hate him. "I like him a lot." Why did she add on to that? The obvious mention to that put him in shock/ rage why was she making it worse on herself? She sat silently in her bed, on the bright side – that's was as honest with her father as she had ever been. On the very dark side, her father was about to have a seizure of sorts, and possible going to murder Riku on the spot tomorrow.

Instead of exploding or imploding, as Naminé thought he would – he just sat there with a blank face, then sported a lovely. "Oh." The kind of 'oh' used when she told him there was an art fest and she couldn't go to wherever or when Selphie said they were going on a double-date with her parents. That well-okay-then oh, she hated it because it was just a placeholder for whatever he was feeling at that moment. She supposed there was nothing to say when your daughter likes the student you despised. He walked out of her room, and she fell asleep – she thought that was the end of it. She thought wrong.

Riku didn't think anything when he got a call slip to the office, he lived in the office for all the wrong doings he did. Yet when he walked in to Marluxia's office there was something wrong for one he was smiling, Marluxia never smiled, at least never around Riku. Ever. So obvious Riku was going to sentence to his death or something, made sense. He probably found out about the spray paint, yeah, Naminé had ratted him out in the end – but why? Why would she go through all that trouble to get him out of trouble, just to get him back into trouble?

Hm. Perhaps Marluxia invested in Botox and he just couldn't make his rage seem apparent on his face. Though Marluxia didn't seem like the Botox type, and he just twitched – wait he twitched? Bad sign. Real bad sign, twitching always was – how many people give you a good pat on the back when they twitch. Not many. Not many at all. So just incase Marluxia went crazy with rage, Riku would need a back up plan, like the stapler. Yes, the stapler was a good weapon against the people with immense rage, but it was so far away. Riku slowly, but subtly inched towards it, not that he would _need_ it or anything – but incase he did. Marluxia gave him the-what-the-hell-do-you-think-you're-doing-you-little-bastard look, and Riku let out a deep breath. He was going to live, Marluxia wasn't crazy any more so then usual – there would be no need of the stapler.

"So what'd I do?" it was unusual that Riku did something, and he wasn't quite sure what it was, surely the whole screwing with Naminé thing had been settled. Of course it had, she didn't glare at him today at lunch as matter of fact she didn't look at him at all. He shook his head, why was he so concerned about her all of the sudden a few days ago, she was nothing. Now just because she saves his ass once, she's constantly on his mind.

"Nothing," Marluxia smiled again. "Nothing at all, I just want to have a talk to you – man to man." Riku bit back a snort, the whole joking about his sexuality didn't seem like a good thing to do at the moment. "About my daughter."

"Your daughter?" That was a surprise, out of everything in the world, he didn't expected Marluxia to pull her into this.

"Yes you see Riku, ever since my wife passed – may she rest in peace." Riku never got why anyone said that, the word passed stung in his mind. Why didn't he just say died, why didn't anyone tell him she was dead – no she's no longer with us, there's nothing we could do. The doctors and the hospital fell into his mind, mixing and blurring, and then her body just lying there in the hospital bed. His mother crying, his father cursing at the doctors – the speech, the words all mush, mush in his head – he shook his head, what did Marluxia say? "She just means the world to me, and I want you to take care of her."

Who? Riku just nodded, and that seem to please Marluxia enough to sign the pass and for Riku to get out of there alive. Kairi passed in and out of his head, as he walked down the hall, it wasn't fair. She should still be here, he should have been there – he was losing sight of the now and was getting caught up in could haves, and should haves. He couldn't breathe.

"You okay Riku?" Sora called after him, he stopped dead in his tracks, he turned to face his sister's boyfriend.

"How long have you been there?" a twitch of a smile, maybe twitches weren't so bad. He was only holding back from breaking down on Sora, that was a good twitch.

"Since you left Marluxia's office are you okay?" he looked worried, like Sora always did. He wondered if he would still be so worried if Kairi would have never been sick, if she could live a normal life with him.

"Never better, what about you Sora?"

"I'm holding down the fort."

Silence.

Riku couldn't remember the last conversation he had with Sora, a real conversation, they used to be best friends and they used to be able to talk about anything and everything. Now it was like they were complete strangers, Riku couldn't remember the fall out, the point where he just gave up on Sora or maybe where Sora gave up on him. He was about to say something when the bell rang, the crowd came and Riku was gone.

"Hey Blondie!" Roxas yelled, chasing after her. Naminé stopped, waiting for him to catch up – he grinned pleased that she responded to his nickname for her? Or maybe that she stopped at all, Naminé didn't know nor care. "Can we, uh, talk?"

She smiled, she had no idea what the hell Roxas wanted, but it was Riku's best friend – they hadn't really talked before this. "Sure, what's up?" she replied politely.

"Well, you're a girl right?"

"I've been buying the wrong type of underwear if I'm not," he laughed a bit, nervous. "Do you want advice on a girl?"

"Not exactly." he run a hand through his hair, before letting out a big long sigh. "I need advice on a guy."

"You're _gay_?" it was a bit of a shocker, he had every girl (Radiant) Garden high wanting him even their mothers. She saw the hurt on his, shaking her head. "I didn't mean that like it was a bad thing, it's just surprising." She stumbled to get the words out, she hated it when people got all emotionally on her.

"Yeah, I am."

"Wow."

"I knew this was a bad idea…"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry – just how long?"

"A few years actually, you're the first girl aside from Kairi I told…"

"Kairi?"

"Riku's late sister."

Enter another state of shock, his sister had died? It was rushing at her, she remember reading about it in the paper, the girl she had died of some new disease; something spread by the heartless virus or something like that, she was diagnose with it when she younger – but it didn't play into affect until she was older. She remember seeing Sora's picture along with the girl's, her father had made the remark that she looked kinda like her. How could she forget about her? That poor girl, that poor family – poor Riku, to lose a younger sibling Naminé could only imagine what that must have felt like.

"Earth calling Naminé?"

"Yeah?"

"So what should I do?"

He was talking? Oh shit, Naminé thought quickly, she had been so caught up in her own thoughts that she didn't even realize that he was talking. "Um, you should go after him!" She pray to god he was talking about asking some guy out, when he nodded – she supposed she was on the right track. "Guys like confidence," What was she saying? She didn't know anything about the male brain and what they liked. "Someone that won't take shit sitting down."

"That's great, thanks Naminé!" he grinned, giving her a bear hug – she tensed up in his arms, she wasn't used to being touched. "Welcome to the family!" Wait, family? Before she could ask what he meant by that he was gone. She sighed, she would find out later, when her horrible half ass advice would back fire on her, it was only a matter of time.

Riku walked down the hall, where the hell was she? He just wanted to say sorry, that was hard enough without him having to trail her down – he sighed, maybe it was just a bad idea. Yet, that not doing anything at all and letting her take over his every thought, his every emotion wasn't really doing anything either. It was either bend the rules, or get broken by his emotions – he thought bending the rules would be so much easier. He wasn't quite ready to let down that wall yet, that wall that protected him from her and anyone else that tried to jack their way into his heart.

"You're gay?" he turned, the disbelief in her voice was nothing compare to her face, Riku smiled so Roxas f-i-n-a-l-l-y was going to get advice on Axel. He watched her stumbled, trying desperately to save him from being upset – she was rather amusing to watch. Her spazzing, just because he was gay – he shrugged, maybe it was because Kairi took it so well that he found her reaction funny.

Kairi – his heart pained, then he saw it happen before he could stop it. Roxas had said it, and her face broke, Riku wanted to punch him – partially because he was still talking, and because he had told her. Roxas had the guts to admit something Riku couldn't not to anyone aloud. It was strange because he could say it without remorse, or pain, another reason why Riku wanted to punch him. She snapped out of her trance, answering with the same thing Riku had said all along, yet for some reason when she said it – it stuck with him.

Riku sighed, there was no way he could face her now, not now that she knew, he couldn't stand to see the look on her face. Those looks he got at the funeral, at the hospital – everywhere, the one place he didn't want to see it on was her. He wouldn't be able to take it, he would break and he can't afford to break – not now. He turned around, knowing it was too late, she had spotted him.

"Riku!" she called and he trotted faster – he wouldn't let her see him weak and almost broken, he couldn't. "Riku!" he stopped. He wouldn't run from her, not Naminé.

She walked over to him, she didn't speak – she didn't have to, she just hugged him. She held on to his back, hugging him in her arms, she rested her head on his back. He was tense very tense, and fragile she knew, so much like glass. "Riku…I know you don't want to hear this," her voice was barely a whisper. "I know how you feel, to lose some one close to you – it hurts, it hurts a lot…my mother died too."

"How old were you," his voice was calm, but shaky – very shaky.

"Eleven, I know it must be worse for you – she was your sister, the little girl you grew up with and she's dead now…but don't remember her for that, remember her for all good memories." His body was trembling and she held on to him, with all her might. "It's okay, it's good to cry sometimes…" she held on to him, comforting him.

It wasn't the face that broke him, it was her – her soothing voice and her words, she just broke him after all he did to her. It was he that broke. Bad boys didn't cry and the nice girls didn't sooth them, so maybe they were somewhere in between bad and nice. All he knew was that no matter what happened it would be okay, so long as she didn't let go of him.

-- fin


End file.
